What we know so far about the fatal shooting of UIW student Cameron Redus by campus police

Friends at Incarnate Word mourn the loss of Cameron Redus, a popular student who was on the dean’s list

SAN ANTONIO — The death of Robert Cameron Redus, a star student at the University of the Incarnate Word who was shot five times by a campus police officer during a traffic stop in Alamo Heights, quickly spiraled into a national news story that’s difficult to comprehend.

The incident shocked friends and family who knew Redus, 23. And the flurry of news coverage and online comments produced contradictory details that don’t make the incident any easier to understand.

When I attended Incarnate Word in the 1990s, campus security didn’t even carry firearms. Why was an armed UIW officer shooting at a student at an apartment complex located off campus?

Cpl. Chris Carter, an officer with the university’s 17-member police force, shot Redus at an apartment complex in the upscale community of Alamo Heights early Friday morning on Dec. 6. The Alamo Heights Police Department is investigating with the help of Texas Rangers.

As the officer was returning to duty, driving north on Broadway near Hildebrand Avenue in his marked pickup, a tan Ford Ranger sped past in a construction zone in the rain, Pruitt said. Then Carter observed the Ranger hit a curb, causing it to swerve left into the opposite lanes, Pruitt said.

At that point, Carter turned on his emergency lights to make a traffic stop, Pruitt said. Both cars drove a mile and a half north on Broadway while Carter, via his radio, asked another university officer to call the Alamo Heights Police Department for backup, Pruitt said.

That officer inadvertently named an incorrect street in San Antonio, and there was a delay in response while officials determined that the call was coming from Alamo Heights, Pruitt said.

Redus, who was driving the Ranger, pulled into a parking spot at the Treehouse Apartments, where he lived. He got out of his vehicle and started to walk away, Pruitt said.

Carter’s pickup truck had a dashboard camera, but it had become unglued from its mounting after a cold front blew through San Antonio. But Carter was wearing a body microphone, and police have reviewed an audio recording of what happened next:

The recording captured Carter asking Redus to stop and put his hands on the truck, Pruitt said. Redus did so, but began to struggle when Carter started to handcuff him, Pruitt said.

During the six-minute confrontation, Carter told Redus 14 times to put his hands behind his back and told him three times that he was under arrest, Pruitt said. Carter told Redus to stop resisting 56 times, Pruitt said.

“There was a lot of communication,” he said.

At some point, Carter took out his collapsible baton to protect himself, Pruitt said.

Although there was “a very stark difference” between Carter’s size and the smaller student, Redus managed to take the baton away, pin the officer against a wall and hit him several times on the head and arm with the baton, Pruitt said. The rain and rocky landscaping might have made it hard for the officer to keep his footing, Pruitt said.

Carter refused medical treatment. But his injuries were consistent with being hit with a narrow object, Pruitt said.

“During the struggle, there were a lot of blows that he received,” the chief said.

Carter managed to get the baton back, and the struggle continued until Redus broke free, according to police.

Drawing his .40-caliber semiautomatic pistol, Carter then warned Redus four times to stop or he would shoot, Pruitt said. Then, Carter told police, Redus charged him with his arm raised as if to hit him.

Carter fired his gun six times, hitting Redus five times at close range — in the chest, neck, eye, arm and thigh — officials said.

Pruitt said the recording could be released at a later date with the district attorney’s approval. On Wednesday, First Assistant District Attorney Cliff Herbert said his office needs to receive the case, review it and conduct its own investigation. That could take months, he said.

Less than a minute later, Haidarasl said he heard four to six gunshots.

Was Redus intoxicated?

That’s part of the police investigation. One witness told police that she and Redus had gone drinking and bar-hopping the night of the shooting, Pruitt said.

“How much alcohol was consumed, or whether he really was intoxicated, it’s something we will find out when the toxicology results come back,” he said. Those tests are handled by the Bexar County Medical Examiner’s office, which conducts the autopsy, and it typically takes six to eight weeks to get the test results back. The tests measure any detectable amounts of alcohol or drugs in a person’s system.

Despite some people’s claims that the officer had no jurisdiction to make a stop off campus, University of Texas at San Antonio criminal justice Professor Michael Gilbert said Carter was within authority.

“They’re sworn peace officers, not just for the campus, but for the whole state, because they have to be licensed” by Texas, said Gilbert, who serves as an adviser to police departments on matters that include use of force. “They have broad enforcement powers widely.”

The licensing file shows no disciplinary actions of suspension or revocation by the state agency. The police departments that hired Carter could also commend or discipline him, and those actions aren’t tracked by state regulators. Carter had worked at a string of jobs and didn’t stay at one place for very long:

Over the course of Carter’s eight-year law career in Texas, he has held nine jobs at eight agencies, including two stints at the Bexar County Sheriff’s Office, files kept by the state agency for licensing peace officers show.

He rarely was at an agency more than a year and his shortest job was for seven months as a reserve officer for the San Antonio Municipal Court Marshals Division. So far, the two years and seven months he’s spent at UIW is the longest stretch of employment, the files show.

“He was mean,” said Hugo Bustillos, who now lives in the two-bedroom apartment near Fort Sam Houston where Carter, 38, used to live.

Bustillos, who lived above Carter’s apartment for about a year before moving into the lower-floor dwelling, said Carter also had run-ins with at least one other tenant over Carter’s dog before Carter moved away last year.

“He exaggerated a lot,” Bustillos said.

“He put a lot of false statements on us with our landlord,” Bustillos said. “He said we were smoking pot in front of our kids, but we were just smoking cigarettes.

“He also made trouble for someone else and got into an argument with” management.

The manager of the Mulberry Terrace apartments told the San Antonio Express-News she couldn’t speak about Carter’s case because of legal issues. She said the Alamo Heights police have not talked to her as part of the investigation.

“Without his signature, I can’t say anything,” the manager said.

Why did Carter fire so many times at Redus?

When police officers decide to fire their weapon, they’re trained to aim “center mass” and continue shooting until the person no longer presents a threat. In a tense situation with adrenaline flowing through your veins, it’s actually easy to miss, even at close range. And sometimes it takes more than one bullet to stop someone.

When did UIW officers start carrying handguns?

A statement released by Incarnate Word stated: “UIW police began carrying firearms 15–20 years ago for the protection of students, faculty and staff after the national increase in campus violence began. This is the first instance of a suspect shooting in UIW history.”

The statement fails to mention that the question of whether campus security should be armed was hotly debated by students, faculty and staff in the mid-1990s. An article I wrote for the student newspaper, the Logos, says the debate started when campus security guard Christopher Llamas sent letters to school President Louis Agnese Jr. and the “governing bodies” of Incarnate Word:

Llamas argued that armed officers would improve campus safety. He cited two cases where officers had been shot at: Once, according to Llamas, at the Incarnate Word High School, and the second time by the Nursing Building. No officers were hurt, but Llamas asked, “What would the officer(s) have done if the suspects had continued to pursue (them)?”

A campus forum organized by Thad Brewer, a student body vice president and gun advocate, attracted students who wanted armed police officers on campus, while others asked whether that was really a good idea.

For Brewer, the answer was simple: “The society we live in demands that an officer carries a gun because everybody else is carrying a gun,” he said at the time.

What does Redus’ family say?

The family released a statement disputing that Redus was the aggressor, and questioned why Carter attempted to pull him over. Here is the entire statement:

We are grieved by the tragic and unnecessary death of our son Cameron. He was a wonderful, loving young man, intelligent, compassionate, and idolized by his four brothers. We have a close, loving family, who will be struggling to adjust to life without our son and brother. He will be missed every day. We have not even begun to think about what life will be like without him. We are blessed to have a loving church family and friends in Baytown who are taking care of us, and our faith in God will sustain us as we grieve.

Valerie Redus (middle), mother of Robert Cameron Redus, mourns her son’s death at a vigil at Incarnate Word.

We are thankful for all the prayers and messages from Cameron’s friends and professors in the Incarnate Word community. They, like our family, are grieving his loss. Our hearts are with them. They have lost a friend who cared for them.Cameron was in his last year at Incarnate Word University. He had done well as a Dean’s List student and was preparing for life in business after college. We have learned from his friends and professors in the last few days just how much they admired and respected Cameron and expected him to be a success in life. He spent Thursday evening with friends celebrating the end of the fall semester.

Cameron died early on Friday morning in the parking lot of the Treehouse Apartments in Alamo Heights from gunshots fired by a campus police officer employed by Incarnate Word University. The investigating authorities quickly cleaned up the scene and even searched his apartment before we arrived in San Antonio.

Several media reports state that the campus police officer observed Cameron driving erratically on Broadway and followed him to the Treehouse Apartments. The officer reported that Cameron got out of his truck at the apartment parking lot and initiated a struggle with the officer. Our family does not believe the officer’s report. Cameron has never been an aggressive or confrontational person. Cameron’s friends have said the same thing about him. For him to confront a police officer would be completely out of his character.

We understand that the Texas Rangers and Alamo Heights police have begun a formal investigation into events leading to Cameron’s death. We are confident, because we knew Cameron, that the investigation will show that Cameron was not armed when the police officer shot him. We question the campus officer’s decision to follow an unknown person from an off-campus location to his off-campus apartment. Cameron drove his truck to his designated, covered parking spot at the Treehouse Apartments off Grandview Place in Alamo Heights. Even if Cameron was driving erratically, he presented no threat to the campus police officer or anyone else once he parked his truck. We expect all official reports to confirm that Cameron’s death was unnecessary and unjustified.

With so many news stories and blog posts about this case, it’s hard to keep track of what’s verified fact and what’s flat-out wrong. I’ll be updating this post as more information surfaces, so check back here if you’re following the case. For tips, questions or suggestions, all my contact info is here.

Robert Cameron Redus is seen in a 2011 photo posted on his Facebook page. Redus was shot and killed Friday Dec. 6, 2013 by a University of Incarnate Word police officer. The UIW officer was placed on administrative leave while authorities investigate the shooting. less

Robert Cameron Redus is seen in a 2011 photo posted on his Facebook page. Redus was shot and killed Friday Dec. 6, 2013 by a University of Incarnate Word police officer. The UIW officer was placed on ... more

Photo: COURTESY

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Robert Cameron Redus, left, is seen in a 2011 photo posted on his Facebook page. Redus was shot and killed Friday Dec. 6, 2013 by a University of Incarnate Word police officer. The UIW officer was placed on administrative leave while authorities investigate the shooting. less

Robert Cameron Redus, left, is seen in a 2011 photo posted on his Facebook page. Redus was shot and killed Friday Dec. 6, 2013 by a University of Incarnate Word police officer. The UIW officer was placed on ... more

Photo: COURTESY

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Mickey and Valerie Redus look at a photograph of their son, Robert Cameron Redus. in their home in Baytown, Texas December 10, 2013. Robert traveled the world extensively, said his family.. His brother, Everett Redus, took the photo of Robert in Bariloche, Argentina. less

Mickey and Valerie Redus look at a photograph of their son, Robert Cameron Redus. in their home in Baytown, Texas December 10, 2013. Robert traveled the world extensively, said his family.. His brother, ... more

Photo: Albert Villegas / Baytown Sun

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Robert Cameron Redus' brothers Everette, left, and Kris, right, hold a photo of their brother in their home in Baytown, Texas December 10, 2013 showing Cameron when he was in the Atacama desert while on a trip to Chile. less

Robert Cameron Redus' brothers Everette, left, and Kris, right, hold a photo of their brother in their home in Baytown, Texas December 10, 2013 showing Cameron when he was in the Atacama desert while on a trip ... more

Photo: Albert Villegas / Baytown Sun

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Law enforcement and Bexar County Medical Examiner's personnel prepare to remove the body of a 23-year-old man that was shot to death after 2:00 a.m. by a University of the Incarnate Word police officer after a traffic stop that ended in the parking lot of the Treehouse Apartments at Broadway and Arcadia Place in Alamo Heights. Lt. Cindy Pruitt of the Alamo Heights Police Department said the man struggled with the officer after the stop and was shot. An investigation of the incident is ongoing. less

Law enforcement and Bexar County Medical Examiner's personnel prepare to remove the body of a 23-year-old man that was shot to death after 2:00 a.m. by a University of the Incarnate Word police officer after a ... more

Photo: SAN ANTONIO EXPRESS-NEWS

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Alamo Heights Police Lt. Cindy Pruitt reads a statement to the media Friday December 6, 2013 about a fatal shooting incident involving a University of Incarnate Word police officer that took place in Alamo Heights on the 100 block of Grandview. The fatal shooting took place about 2:00 a.m. Friday December 6, 2013 at the Treehouse Apartments after a traffic stop. The deceased suspect driver has been identified as Robert Cameron Redus, a 23-year-old University of the Incarnate Word student. The press conference took place at Alamo Heights city offices at 1248 Austin Highway. less

Alamo Heights Police Lt. Cindy Pruitt reads a statement to the media Friday December 6, 2013 about a fatal shooting incident involving a University of Incarnate Word police officer that took place in Alamo ... more

Photo: SAN ANTONIO EXPRESS-NEWS

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Alamo Heights Police Chief Richard Pruitt answers questions from the media, Monday Dec. 9, 2013, at press conference on the University of the Incarnate Word student shot to death by a campus officer Friday.

Alamo Heights Police Chief Richard Pruitt answers questions from the media, Monday Dec. 9, 2013, at press conference on the University of the Incarnate Word student shot to death by a campus officer Friday.

Photo: San Antonio Express-News

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Valerie Redus (middle), mother of Robert Cameron Redus is hugged by Emily Vaughan, a friend of the family as people gather at the University of the Incarnate Word grotto as part of the vigil for Cameron. Cameron Redus was a student at UIW who was killed by a university police officer. less

Valerie Redus (middle), mother of Robert Cameron Redus is hugged by Emily Vaughan, a friend of the family as people gather at the University of the Incarnate Word grotto as part of the vigil for Cameron. ... more

Photo: For the SAN ANTONIO EXPRESS-NEWS

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A vigil is held Dec. 7, 2013 inside the Academic Convocation Center for Robert Cameron Redus who was a University of the Incarnate Word student shot and killed by an university police officer. Many in attendance either wore green clothing or a green ribbon as it was his favorite color. less

A vigil is held Dec. 7, 2013 inside the Academic Convocation Center for Robert Cameron Redus who was a University of the Incarnate Word student shot and killed by an university police officer. Many in ... more

Photo: FOR THE SAN ANTONIO EXPRESS-NEWS

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Derrick Bryant (middle), a close friend of Cameron Redus, hugs other friends and family members of Cameron's as they come to a vigil Dec. 7, 2013 for Redus who was a University of the Incarnate Word student shot and killed by an university police officer. Many in attendance either wore green clothing or a green ribbon as it was his favorite color. less

Derrick Bryant (middle), a close friend of Cameron Redus, hugs other friends and family members of Cameron's as they come to a vigil Dec. 7, 2013 for Redus who was a University of the Incarnate Word student ... more

Photo: FOR THE SAN ANTONIO EXPRESS-NEWS

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Miriam Thomas (left) tries to light Megan Gaitan's candle Dec. 7, 2013 as they prepare to walk from the University of Incarnate Word Academic Convocation Center to the grotto as a vigil is held for Robert Cameron Redus who was a UIW student shot and killed by an university police officer. Many in attendance either wore green clothing or a green ribbon as it was his favorite color. less

Miriam Thomas (left) tries to light Megan Gaitan's candle Dec. 7, 2013 as they prepare to walk from the University of Incarnate Word Academic Convocation Center to the grotto as a vigil is held for Robert ... more

Photo: FOR THE SAN ANTONIO EXPRESS-NEWS

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A vigil is held Dec. 7, 2013 for Robert Cameron Redus who was a University of the Incarnate Word student shot and killed by an university police officer. The vigil began at the UIW Academic Convocation Center and then finished at the grotto. Many in attendance either wore green clothing or a green ribbon as it was his favorite color. less

A vigil is held Dec. 7, 2013 for Robert Cameron Redus who was a University of the Incarnate Word student shot and killed by an university police officer. The vigil began at the UIW Academic Convocation Center ... more

Photo: FOR THE SAN ANTONIO EXPRESS-NEWS

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Law enforcement officers including some from Alamo Heights Police Department, leave the Treehouse Apartments after inspecting the apartment, above right, of Robert Cameron Redus, a UIW student from Baytown, TX who was shot to death by UIW campus police officer Chris Carter. Friday, Dec. 6, 2013. less

Law enforcement officers including some from Alamo Heights Police Department, leave the Treehouse Apartments after inspecting the apartment, above right, of Robert Cameron Redus, a UIW student from Baytown, TX ... more

Photo: San Antonio Express-News

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A note for the Redus family with a charm and a rose was placed outside the apartment of Robert Cameron Redus, a UIW student from Baytown, TX, who was shot to death by UIW campus police officer Chris Carter. Friday, Dec. 6, 2013. less

A note for the Redus family with a charm and a rose was placed outside the apartment of Robert Cameron Redus, a UIW student from Baytown, TX, who was shot to death by UIW campus police officer Chris Carter. ... more

Photo: San Antonio Express-News

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Mohammad Haidarasl, a UIW student, looks out his apartment to the parking lot of the Treehouse Apartments where his upstairs neighbor Robert Cameron Redus was shot to death by UIW campus police officer Chris Carter, following a scuffle. Friday, Dec. 6, 2013. Haidarasl lives directly below Redus and was asleep on his sofa next to the window, center, when he heard a struggle, yelling, and then gunshots. The motorcyle and bike at left, belong to Redus. less

Mohammad Haidarasl, a UIW student, looks out his apartment to the parking lot of the Treehouse Apartments where his upstairs neighbor Robert Cameron Redus was shot to death by UIW campus police officer Chris ... more

Photo: San Antonio Express-News

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Bea Perry, right, reacts after neighbor Mohammad Haidarasl tells her that their neighbor Robert Cameron Redus, a UIW student from Baytown, TX, was shot to death by UIW campus police officer Chris Carter, Friday, Dec. 6, 2013. Haidarasl lives directly below Redus and was asleep on his sofa when he heard a struggle, yelling, and then gunshots from the parking lot. Perry also heard the gunshots early Friday morning. less

Bea Perry, right, reacts after neighbor Mohammad Haidarasl tells her that their neighbor Robert Cameron Redus, a UIW student from Baytown, TX, was shot to death by UIW campus police officer Chris Carter, ... more

Photo: San Antonio Express-News

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A note written on a candle is left with a memorial on the University of the Incarnate Word campus for senior Robert Cameron Redus, Wednesday, Dec. 11, 2013, in San Antonio. Redus, 23, was shot and killed by a campus police officer on Friday. (AP Photo/Eric Gay) less

A note written on a candle is left with a memorial on the University of the Incarnate Word campus for senior Robert Cameron Redus, Wednesday, Dec. 11, 2013, in San Antonio. Redus, 23, was shot and killed by a ... more

Photo: Associated Press

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A rosary hangs on a statue near a memorial on the University of the Incarnate Word campus for senior Robert Cameron Redus, Wednesday, Dec. 11, 2013, in San Antonio. Redus, 23, was shot and killed by a campus police officer on Friday. (AP Photo/Eric Gay) less

A rosary hangs on a statue near a memorial on the University of the Incarnate Word campus for senior Robert Cameron Redus, Wednesday, Dec. 11, 2013, in San Antonio. Redus, 23, was shot and killed by a campus ... more

Photo: Associated Press

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The campus of the University of the Incarnate Word campus is seen at dusk, Wednesday, Dec. 11, 2013, in San Antonio. UIW senior Robert Cameron Redus was shot and killed by a campus police officer on Friday. (AP Photo/Eric Gay) less

The campus of the University of the Incarnate Word campus is seen at dusk, Wednesday, Dec. 11, 2013, in San Antonio. UIW senior Robert Cameron Redus was shot and killed by a campus police officer on Friday. ... more

Photo: Associated Press

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What we know so far about the fatal shooting of UIW student Cameron Redus by campus police

Incarnate Word has refused to release its police procedures or use-of-force policies, according to this article by Michelle Mondo. As a private university, Incarnate Word says it is not subject to Texas’ public information law, even though it receives taxpayer dollars and its officers can arrest people outside campus:

UIW did say its officers are trained to state standards. But it wasn’t known whether officials document use of force, review use-of-force incidents on an annual basis and have department specific training, all of which are considered best practices, said Perry, the campus security expert.

Former Police Chief Drago said it was “a shame” that UIW has not released the policies or procedures for the campus Police Department.

“There are legitimate questions, and the university should be more than anxious in dispelling any kind of question and alarm that the public might have,” he said.

Express-News reporter Guillermo Contreras also conducted a deeper background check of Carter. Before working at a string of short-stinted jobs as a police officer, Carter’s wages were garnished after he fell behind nearly $3,000 in child support. Carter had worked at a pawnshop and at San Antonio insurance giant USAA.

So far no police agencies where Carter worked have provided copies of any commendations or disciplinary records to the Express-News. Under the Texas Public Information Act, officials are required to promptly produce public information if it’s readily available, but they also have 10 business days to decide whether to ask the Texas Attorney General if they can withhold records.

Atascosa County Sheriff David Soward was one of the few law enforcement officials who was willing to discuss Carter’s tenure at the sheriff’s office:

Soward recalled Carter’s brief time with his agency. Officials at other agencies either didn’t remember Carter or didn’t return calls seeking comment.

Carter didn’t have any disciplinary issues while in Atascosa and left to pursue another job, Soward said.

“I’m not saying he didn’t get chewed out every now and then, but it wasn’t anything (serious),” he said.

Witness Kyle Carnett

Updated Dec. 19, 2013:

A witness who says he saw the struggle told the Express-News that Redus was resisting arrest and “making it very difficult for the officer and striking him.”

“He was antagonizing the officer, telling him at one point, ‘You’re going to shoot me?'” Carnett said of Redus. “Cameron kept resisting arrest. At one point, they were wrestling on the hood of someone’s car.”

It’s unclear how familiar Carter was with the upscale community of Alamo Heights north of Incarnate Word’s campus. But the police report written by Alamo Heights Officer C.D. Lopez states that Carter may have radioed an incorrect location to a fellow campus police officer at Incarnate Word or she misheard him.

The UIW officer contacted the San Antonio Police Department, which then contacted Alamo Heights police in a tragic game of telephone tag.

“The UIW officer was unable to provide an exact location other than the street Preston and that (Carter) was behind an unknown bank,” states the report filed by Lopez.

The only Preston street in Bexar County appears to be Preston Avenue, which is miles away and in San Antonio’s jurisdiction. At least three different banks have branches near the Treehouse Apartments where Redus and Carter were fighting.

Former supervisors at the police department in Marion, Texas, in Guadalupe County told the Cibolo Police Department in 2005 that Carter “was a good reserve officer with the potential of becoming a very good regular police officer.” They said he enjoys his duties in traffic enforcement and described him as dependable and eager to learn.

“I would like to work my law enforcement career to work towards becoming a detective,” Carter wrote. “I believe I would be a great asset and investment should I be hired.”

Carter passed a criminal background check. He had been involved in a vehicle accident that he said was caused by another driver merging into his lane, and he had been cited by a police officer for not wearing a seat belt.

Carter attended training at San Antonio College to use police batons and pepper spray, according to the file. While police officers at Incarnate Word are allowed to use pepper spray, Carter did not carry a canister with him the night he shot Redus.

“We assigned him to be on patrol,” Apolinar said, noting that reserve deputies always partner with full-time deputies. Apolinar said he didn’t remember much about Carter — good or bad — because Carter worked so few hours in a short time before he went to work elsewhere.

Mark Hall, a family friend who has acted as a spokesman since Cameron Redus’ death, said the statement came as a response to administrators speaking at a Student Government Association open forum March 5.

According to Hall, school administrators said police Cpl. Chris Carter, who shot an unarmed Redus five times at his off-campus apartment complex, may return to work in an administrative role if no criminal indictment is filed against him.

Here’s the entire letter:

An Open Letter to UIW from the Redus Family

Mickey Reduson 11 March, 2014 at 05:00

Parents Valerie, left, and Mickey Redus

The Redus family would first like to express our appreciation to the students, faculty and administrators of the University of the Incarnate Word, friends, loved ones, and even complete strangers who have been so supportive of our family during this awful time in our lives. Their expressions of love and concern as well as our faith in God have sustained us through this most painful time.

Our position from the onset of this ordeal has been one of patience as we have awaited the completion of the criminal homicide investigation and the release of factual information. As difficult as it is after three months and still knowing little more than we did on day one, we continue to advocate waiting on our justice system to complete its work, which we are confident will find that Cameron Redus was wrongfully slain on the morning of Dec. 6, 2013.

We do have concerns over some of the information which came from the Student Government Association‘s open forum at UIW on Wednesday, March 5, 2014.

It is premature on the part of UIW to state that if there is no criminal indictment against UIW Sgt. Chris Carter, he will be returned to work in an administrative role and continue his employment. Since the facts of the case are still unknown we are extremely upset with this decision.

We hold that the commission (or non-commission) of a criminal act should not be the sole factor considered in determining continued employment, for any institution, but in particular a Christian University. There should be the expectation that employees act with discretion and sound judgment. We don’t see how that assessment can be made at this juncture, particularly in the absence of the facts and details of the event. Are we to infer that Chris Carter will not require wisdom and judgment if he is acting in an “administrative” role?

The UIW representative at the forum (UIW Vice President for Business and Finance Douglas B. Endsley) said that policy changes regarding the Campus Police were underway prior to the shooting of Cameron and that no changes would be made as a result of his death. This is an affront to us as a grieving family and should be an outrage to all students. The citizens of San Antonio should equally be concerned since this event began with Carter pursuing a vehicle with nothing marking it as belonging to a UIW student, on a public street and ending at an off-campus apartment parking lot. At no point during the pursuit, attempted arrest, or slaying of Cameron Redus did the encounter occur on UIW property.

If policy changes were underway already, then why did UIW, knowing that there were problems with their policies, still allow their officers to operate in such a manner that ended in Cameron being shot five times? Even more troubling is the implication that no policy changes need to be made as the result of Cameron’s brutal slaying. Seriously?

The Redus family desire two things to come from this tragedy:

We want to preserve Cameron’s good name and reputation. UIW has done some wonderful things in Cameron’s honor and we are extremely grateful. Law enforcement, however, has attempted to justify and substantiate Officer Carter’s account of the events on Dec. 6, by attacking Cameron and leaking limited information. All of the information stated in press conferences or “leaked” to the press has been negative against Cameron and never against Chris Carter.
We want to see policy and procedure changes that would ensure that no other family would ever have to experience what we have endured. That goal seems to be in jeopardy if no changes are to result from Cameron’s death. There needs to be a full accounting for the actions of Officer Chris Carter and the system which allowed and is now trying to justify those actions.
UIW Administrators stated at the March 5 forum that the use of Tasers and chemicals are risky, yet UIW officers carry handguns. Earlier accounts indicate that UIW Security officers are issued pepper spray, but Officer Carter, who is certified in the use of pepper spray, did not use it. Carter is also certified in the use of the baton, but was at best ineffective, if not inept. If using non-lethal means to subdue a suspect carries unacceptable risks, how can firearms be considered a safer alternative?

When someone is Tasered multiple times, people cry out against excessive force and brutality. Are we to believe that firing six shots at an unarmed subject at close range from a 40 caliber handgun is a safer alternative? It wasn’t safer for Cameron.

We, as Cameron’s family would like to see senior administration of The University of the Incarnate Word issue a public statement clarifying the comments and information disclosed during the Open Student Forum which occurred on March, 5, 2014. In particular, we would like to understand what steps the university plans to take, regardless of any possible criminal actions involving Chris Carter, to ensure that a tragedy like this never happens again to the university community or to any other family. We believe that we as the family, the students and faculty of UIW, and the citizens of Alamo Heights and San Antonio need and deserve that explanation.

We are devastated by information contained in the Bexar County Medical Examiner’s Report. While the locations of the five shots that struck and killed Cameron were made public shortly after his slaying, the autopsy contained new details. We are stunned to learn that Cameron was shot in the back from very close range. The report also shows that the shot to his eye was delivered at a downward angle, again from very close range. That knowledge coupled with information from the earlier police report indicating that Cameron died on his back with his legs underneath him has left us heartbroken and shaken to the core.

Carter fired his .40-caliber semi-automatic pistol six times at Redus, shooting him in the left eye, upper chest, left elbow, right hip and upper back. One shot missed.

The autopsy report didn’t say which wounds came first.

How is it possible for one of the shots to hit Redus in the back at close range, especially when Carter claimed Redus had been charging him with a raised fist?

I asked Geoffrey Alpert, a criminal justice professor at the University of South Carolina and expert in police use-of-force, who said officers are trained to aim “center mass” at a perceived threat and to fire their weapons until the threat is over:

During that barrage, Alpert said it’s possible for a person to spin around from the impact of the bullets and in an effort to escape the gunfire. Before the officer reacts and stops pulling the trigger, the person’s back can be facing him.

“There is definitely an explanation for that,” Alpert said of the bullet wound to the back. “Why (Carter) shot, how he perceived the threat, that’s a different issue.”

A toxicology test also showed Redus had a blood alcohol content of 0.155, nearly twice the legal limit to drive, and trace amounts of marijuana in his system.

Asked if alcohol could have fueled an altercation with Carter that spiraled out of control, Redus family spokesman Mark Hall said it was difficult to speculate.

“The family certainly does not condone drinking and driving and that was clearly a mistake on Cameron’s part,” Hall said.

“I will just say, young people often go to college to make mistakes and learn from their mistakes,” Hall added. “Unfortunately, Cameron’s never going to have the opportunity to learn from this mistake because he was shot to death.”

Read the full statement from the Redus family:

Redus Family Response to the Release of Cameron Redus’s Autopsy and Toxicology

We would again like to express our appreciation for the love, support and interest in Cameron’s life and death. It’s difficult to express the comfort that we have found as a result of that ongoing kindness and concern.

We are devastated by information contained in the Bexar County Medical Examiner’s Report. While the locations of the five shots that struck and killed Cameron were made public shortly after his slaying, the autopsy contained new details. We are stunned to learn that Cameron was shot in the back from very close range. The report also shows that the shot to his eye was delivered at a downward angle, again from very close range. That knowledge coupled with information from the earlier police report indicating that Cameron died on his back with his legs underneath him has left us heartbroken and shaken to the core.

The information in the toxicology report indicates that Cameron made some poor choices on the night prior to his death, including consuming alcohol in excess. He apparently operated his vehicle while under the influence of alcohol. The Redus family does not condone his actions and is disappointed that Cameron made these choices. We are thankful that Cameron arrived safely at his apartment and legally and properly parked his vehicle without harming anyone. He had exited his vehicle and was walking to his home when the encounter began. He posed no risk to public safety risk at that point.

We are confident that had this encounter taken place on a public roadway and during a routine traffic stop that Cameron’s alleged response and the ultimate outcome of this event would have been different. Cameron’s family also agrees with the opinion expressed by law enforcement officials that the outcome would have been different had a backup officer been on the scene.

One aspect of God’s saving grace is that we are not defined by our mistakes. Cameron’s mistakes do not negate the amazing and productive life he lived nor the loving, encouraging and compassionate person that he was. While mistakes do bear consequences, the extreme and brutal results of Cameron’s encounter with Officer Carter far exceed the magnitude of his mistakes.

We continue to wait on justice to be done and we maintain our faith and trust in God’s amazing love, of which many of you have been the agents.

“We believe that jumping to a judgment before the investigation is complete could unfairly characterize Chris Carter,” Chancellor Denise Doyle said in prepared statement.

The statement was released days after the Bexar County autopsy report became public showing that Carter shot Redus five times — including once in the back. Redus’ family and Incarnate Word students have also criticized school administrators for saying Carter might keep his job.

Jonathan Guajardo, president of Incarnate Word’s student council, penned an open letter saying that reinstating Carter would be a “huge injustice and would pose a lingering danger to the students and the community.” Carter is on administrative leave as the investigation into the shooting continues.

Both statements are posted below:

Statement from UIW Chancellor Denise Doyle – March 24, 2014

In January the administration of the University of the Incarnate Word determined that we did not have sufficient information about the shooting of Cameron Redus by Corporal Chris Carter on December 6, 2013. We knew that investigations were underway by the Texas Rangers and the Alamo Heights Police Department who have expertise in these matters and who would report their findings to the District Attorney for legal resolution. It is fair and appropriate that we wait for a legal resolution to occur before making any decisions about the status or role of Corporal Carter at UIW. We have not changed this decision though some have suggested we should act without knowing the results of the investigations.

We received the autopsy and toxicology reports through the Texas Open Records Act and as promised sent them on to the Redus family through their lawyer. These documents are part of the overall investigation but the investigation has not been completed. We are not prepared to make any decisions until the investigation is complete.

Why are we waiting until the resolution of the investigation before taking any specific decisions about the return of Corporal Carter? We believe that jumping to a judgment before the investigation is complete could unfairly characterize Chris Carter, a member of our University, and a Peace Officer, in a very negative manner without sufficient knowledge or expertise upon which to base our decisions. The loss of Cameron’s life is a tragedy. A tragedy felt most especially by his family and friends and also by the University. We continue to experience the loss of this gifted and blessed young man. Nonetheless we resist the pressure to make decisions or take actions before the investigation is completed.

The investigation is taking much longer than we anticipated. This has undoubtedly increased the impatience and frustration of all involved. We are sympathetic to how difficult this has been for the family and friends of Cameron. We continue to pray for all who are suffering this loss. We continue to pray for Chris Carter. We live by a set of values that include respect and fairness toward each and every person. We share these values with the Sisters of Charity of the Incarnate Word. We will draw upon these same principles when we finally have all the information needed.

I recently had the opportunity to read through the autopsy report released by the Bexar County Medical Examiner last Thursday. The report’s findings provide new insight into the brutal nature of the shooting of UIW Student Cameron Redus outside of his Alamo Heights apartment complex. Shooting an unarmed student in the back illustrates a serious breach of police protocol.

It is imperative that the administration takes these findings into consideration and realizes that reinstating UIW Cpl. Christopher Carter would be a huge injustice and would pose a lingering danger to the students and the community. The administration should also consider the long-term liabilities that this poses to the students and faculty of this university if Carter harms any other person in the future. His immediate dismissal would safeguard the students, faculty, and the staff. No student should ever be fearful of their campus police, especially during a routine traffic stop.

I have a tremendous amount of respect for police officials, such as SAPD and AHPD, and I appreciate all that they do on a daily basis to keep us safe. It is because of this admiration for proper law enforcement and well-trained officers that I believe it’s necessary to seriously rethink our campus safety policies and work for reform across the board. After all, Cameron would still be alive had Officer Carter simply exercised better judgment.

The UIW faculty, staff, the provost’s office, and the Sisters of Charity of the Incarnate Word have strived for years to create a safe and harmonious environment for the students of this university. I greatly appreciate their continuing efforts to improve this historic institution. It is these enduring actions that first inspired me to attend UIW. This administration’s response to this incident threatens to undermine all their years of hard work.

Truth is one of the core values of this university. The fact that UIW’s administration has released multiple contradictory statements regarding this incident – as well as the actions and deliberations in its aftermath – makes it very difficult to believe that they are taking the concerns of the student body seriously. It also makes it difficult to trust any of their future statements.

I believe that through the actions of our community, students, faculty, alumni, and the Sisters of Charity, we will be able to come together to make UIW a safer place for future generations of Cardinals. If you are interested in further voicing your opinion about this matter, I urge you to contact UIW Chancellor Dr. Denise Doyle at denised@uiwtx.edu or UIW President Dr. Lou Agnese at agnese@uiwtx.edu.

The lawsuit alleges the university “recklessly failed to exercise reasonable care in hiring, training, supervising and retaining” Carter, adding that he did not have “the necessary training, understanding, and skill one would expect” from a campus police officer.

The lawsuit also alleges that “Carter, without justification, initiated a verbal confrontation in the parking lot that became an altercation.” Carter used excessive force when he shot Redus, who was unarmed, and violated UIW’s deadly force policy, the suit states.

“While the University does not seek any conflict with the Redus family, we welcome the opportunity that the lawsuit will provide to defend the efforts we make to educate and protect our students,” Doyle said.

“At approximately 1:30 a.m. on the morning of Friday, Dec. 6, 2013, despite being legally impaired and having a blood alcohol level of more than twice the legal limit, Redus drove his Ford Ranger pickup on the near freezing, rain-slicked streets. Redus’ drinking buddies did nothing to prevent his driving under the influence.”

Carter was in a police vehicle on Broadway when he spotted Redus’ pickup truck weave through construction barrels on Broadway. The truck struck a curb, then veered into oncoming traffic lanes before regaining control. Carter followed. When he turned on his police lights, “Redus sped up,” UIW alleges, and Carter followed the truck into the parking lot of an apartment complex.

Carter exited his truck and yelled at Redus to stop. “Redus then turned and faced Cpl. Carter, challenging him.” Carter directed Redus to put his hands on the hood of the truck and told him he was stopped on suspicion of drunk driving. The court filing says Carter could smell alcohol on Redus’ breath.

Redus “became belligerent” and resisted Carter’s efforts to put handcuffs on his wrists. Carter was wearing a microphone that recorded audio of the altercation. The recording has not yet been released, UIW’s court filing quotes Redus hurling insults at the officer while Carter ordered — then pleaded with — Redus to stop resisting.

“Redus began making aggressive and bizarre comments, such as ‘What’s your f—ing problem?’ and began repeating in a loud, hostile and mocking tone such statements as: ‘Are you going to rape me?'”

UIW says the physical confrontation lasted eight minutes (Alamo Heights police previously said it had lasted six), with Redus at one point taking Carter’s baton and striking the officer with it. Carter knocked the baton away and put Redus in a headlock. Redus punched the officer in the kidneys and body.

Carter let go, moved several steps away, pulled his pistol and ordered Redus to stop. “Redus persisted in advancing” and threw punches at Carter’s face and head. “You going to f—ing shoot me?” Redus was quoted as saying. “You’re going to shoot me if I don’t stop?” (A neighbor who heard but didn’t see part of the fight remembers Redus asking a similar question.)

UIW says Carter reacted by stepping back and pleading “Stop!” “Stop!” “Stop!” “Stop, or I will shoot you!”

“The university has steadfastly and even today refused to acknowledge their officer did anything wrong or that any policy changes are needed at all.

If that’s the case, that should strike fear into the hearts of UIW students’ and others who live in the area.

The Redus family later released this statement:

The Redus family is incredulous of the response filed by the University of the Incarnate Word to its wrongful death suit in the shooting of their son Cameron Redus. While we expected a denial of our allegations of improper actions on the part of its security officer Chris Carter, we were disturbed that UIW also denied the Alamo Heights Police report describing how Cameron’s body was found. Even more alarming is their denial of the medical examiner’s report which showed the presence of gun burns indicating a virtual point blank range of the two lethal shots. Also no mention of Cameron being shot from two different directions. They have chosen Mr. Carter’s account even when it is incompatible with the physical evidence.

Perhaps most disturbing is UIW’s “blame the victim” response. Let’s not forget that Chris Carter followed Cameron to his apartment in a different city than UIW jurisdiction and within feet of his front door shot five bullets into Cameron, at least two at point blank range while he was unarmed and a danger to no one. Carter claims he shot in self defense.

The circumstances of Cameron’s death should at the very least demonstrate the need for changes on the part of the university so that this tragedy can never happen again. UIW’s irresponsibly denying those needed changes should strike fear in the hearts of UIW students and the surrounding citizens, fear for their own safety.

In a much shorter span of time, grand juries decided not to indict police officers in Ferguson, Missouri, and in New York who killed unarmed people, making international news and sparking nationwide protests.

The speed at which those cases went before grand juries — Michael Brown was killed in August in Ferguson and Eric Garner in July in New York — has friends and family of Redus asking what’s taking so long.

“We appreciate a thorough investigation and we’re patient for a thorough investigation,” said Mark Hall, a friend of the Redus family who has been acting as a spokesman. But, he added, “I don’t know, at what point do you say, ‘What else can be investigated?’”

Hall said the family members have been left to speculate that one reason for the delay has been politics.

They have started to presume that the Bexar County district attorney’s office, led by Susan Reed, did not want to have a potentially divisive grand jury decision before the November election, which Reed ended up losing to defense attorney Nico LaHood.

Officials with the district attorney’s office did not return messages left Friday.

Bexar County District Attorney Nico LaHood said he called the Redus family and emphasized with their pain:

“They were obviously disappointed and upset, and I empathized with that,” he said. “It was frustrating for me as a person because I couldn’t answer some of their questions. The law is very clear and very specific about what can be disclosed and what can’t — my heart told me one thing, but I had to follow the law.”

LaHood said he could not disclose how long it took to present evidence to the grand jury or how long the members deliberated before reaching the decision. Unless new evidence is discovered and presented to a new grand jury, LaHood said, Carter won’t face the possibility of criminal charges.

Redus’ parents, Valerie and Mickey, were angered and disappointed, said Brent Perry, an attorney representing the family in a wrongful death suit against the university and Carter.

“If LaHood and the district attorney’s office (are) not going to see that justice is done, then we will,” Perry said. “We believe that if the district attorney’s office had seriously pursued an indictment, there would have been an indictment.”

Audio of the struggle was captured by Carter’s body microphone, but has not been released publicly. During the struggle, Carter told Redus 14 times to put his hands behind his back, three times that he was under arrest and 56 times to stop resisting, Alamo Heights police said in the days after the shooting.

Autopsy results showed five rounds struck Redus — including one in the back at close range — and several shots traveled at downward trajectories.

Supporters of the Redus family said the autopsy contradicted Carter’s claim that Redus was charging him with a raised fist when Carter fired.

Geoffrey Alpert, a criminal justice professor at the University of South Carolina and an expert on police use of force, said in a past interview that officers are trained to fire multiple times until a threat is over. Suspects often duck, spin or turn around as shots are fired, he said, which could explain a shot in the back.

“There is definitely an explanation for that,” Alpert said of the bullet wound to the back. “Why (Carter) shot, how he perceived the threat, that’s a different issue.”

Nine minutes of an increasingly intense confrontation had elapsed when former University of the Incarnate Word police Cpl. Christopher Carter issued an ultimatum to Robert Cameron Redus: “Stop or I will shoot.”

“You’re gonna (expletive) shoot me?” Redus, a 23-year-old UIW senior, responded, according to audio released Thursday that for the first time shows in graphic detail what happened in the Dec. 6, 2013 altercation.

“You’re gonna (expletive) shoot me? For trying to make you not choke me right now?” Redus added after Carter warned again that he would shoot Redus.

The struggle in the parking lot of Redus’ off-campus apartment complex went on, with Redus asking the question several times, as if he were in disbelief that the officer was really threatening to shoot him.

“You are pathetic,” Redus then told Carter.

As Carter continued to order Redus to stop, Redus asked again: “You’re gonna shoot me if I don’t stop? Is that what cops do?”

Redus cursed at Carter. The seconds that led to the shooting were filled with what sounds like a scuffle.

The recording is the first time the public is able to listen to Carter’s explanation of what happened as he talked to Alamo Heights police, paramedics and possibly a lawyer he called on his cell phone. It was captured on a body microphone Carter was wearing:

“He took my baton away,” Carter said. “Did a couple smacks on my left shoulder. I don’t know if one of them hit me on the back of my head or not. I knocked it out of his hand. I got him in a headlock. He started punching me in the face. He got away from my grip. He had an opportunity to leave. He charged me again.”

Carter said he was feeling fatigued as the fight dragged on.

“I drew my weapon, ordered him to stop, stop. He came at me again, punched me in the face and I fired. I don’t know how many times, like four, five. Put him to the ground. I was able to regain my mic and call for assistance.”